The invention is an advancement in gooseneck hitches that are utilized for towing trailers, especially trailers adapted for carrying heavy equipment. In the prior art, the gooseneck hitches sold by TowHaul of Bozeman MT revolutionized the towing industry. In this hitch, a toe is mounted between a pair of gooseneck plates. One end of the toe is pivotally mounted between the plates, with the other end driven by one or more hydraulic cylinders. With a grab hook of the hitch engaging a trailer latch, the toe is driven by the hydraulic cylinders, the driving of the toe pivoting it and causing an end thereof to engage a portion the trailer. Continued pivoting movement of the toe lifts the trailer up for movement by a towing vehicle supporting the hitch. FIGS. 1 and 2 show top and side views of such a prior art gooseneck hitch 10. Therein, the hitch has sides 1, connected together by a number of web plates 2 positioned in different locations. A coupler shaft 3 connects the hitch 10 to a towing vehicle (not shown). The hitch 10 has a toe 4 that is moved by lift cylinders 5, the lift cylinders mounted at 6 to one end of the toe 4 and the other end to the cylinder box 7 that also functions to connect the sides 1 together. The toe 4 is mounted between sides at shaft 8. This same hitch is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,586 to Smith, herein incorporated in its entirety by reference.
Because of the size of equipment being transported at present and enormous lifting loads associated therewith, these hitches employ welded web plates interspersed between the gooseneck plates for strength. Because of the tremendous loads, some of the welds can crack, thus causing maintenance issues for gooseneck hitches in the field.
In addition, since a bottom surface of the free end of the toe that contacts the trailer moves along a trailer surface, the bottom surface can wear prematurely, also causing repairs to be made in the field.
Therefore, a need has developed to provide an improved gooseneck hitch for lifting and hauling high tonnage equipment. The present invention solves this problem by using a unique toe design.
Other gooseneck hitches and trailers have been proposed such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,172 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,372 to French et al. These documents do not address the problem faced by the inventor nor offer a solution thereto.